Last week’s challenge — “The Unlikable Protagonist” — filled up with some of my favorite entries to date. Go and read the stories from that challenge — you’ll find them interesting, I suspect.
Yesterday, I interviewed author James R. Tuck and Tuck said something that stuck with me:
“You can write a whole page on a character making a sandwich and if you do it right it will be gripping and compelling. Have your character make a banana and mayonnaise sandwich while they discuss killing someone, or divorcing their husband, or sleeping with their girlfriend for the first time. You can turn that sandwich into a load of character detail.”
And I thought, well, shit, that’s true.
Every scene has to be infused with drama and conflict — you have to make every moment count, even if it’s just a guy making a sandwich or a girl squatting out in a field during a long road trip to take a piss.
Then I thought — hey, this should be a flash fiction challenge.
And so it is.
You have up to 1000 words to write a story — not a scene, but a story — where a character makes a sandwich. Any kind of character, any kind of sandwich, but the point is to infuse this seemingly mundane act with the magic story-stuff of drama and conflict. Make it the most interesting “person-making-a-sandwich” story you can possibly make it. It needs to grip the testicles. It must twist the nipples. It must not let go.
That’s your task.
Same details apply: you’ve got one week (ends 2/24 at noon EST). Post story at your blog or webspace and link back here so we can all swing by and have a little looky-see.
Now get cracking.
Make that sandwich. Write that story.
77 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: Making A Sandwich”
Yay, a finished flash fiction challenge! I was sad to have missed the last couple.
http://robynettely.blogspot.com/2012/02/flash-fiction-challenge-poison-sandwich.html
http://writex3.blogspot.com/2012/02/unmaking-sandwich.html
This was so much fun! I want more!!!!
http://angelicsugai.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/damn-thats-a-good-sandwich/
Ahhhh! I only saw this challenge this morning, and having worked at a deli in the early aught’s, I couldn’t really help myself but toss down Unlike my usual stuff, there are no shape shifting murderous tigresses having sex with the Queen, but I liked this challenge anyway. Please enjoy a delicious Right-Back-At-You Sandwich:
http://matthewverus.com/fiction/rbatysandwich/
[…] Last week’s “Make Me A Sandwich” challenge went pretty apeshit — closing in on 50 submissions at the time of this writing. Go check it out, won’t you? […]
[…] I came across a flash fiction challenge on Terribleminds, which is ever amusing and never safe for children. It’s also totally invaluable. I […]
http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/18176509236/filibuster-sandwich
Inspired by sandwiches and Adele’s Someone Like You.
Here you go! The Avocado Debacle. Sorry I unconsciously named the husband ‘Chuck’. Your name must have been in my head as I started to write and I didn’t realize it till I showed back up here to post.
http://paintboxkitchen.com/2012/02/24/the-avocado-debacle/
Thanks for the challenge! Here is my story, The Avocado Debacle.
http://paintboxkitchen.com/2012/02/24/the-avocado-debacle/
[…] by blogger Andrea Drugay I decided to tackle a flash fiction challenge on a writing website, Chuck Wendig’s Terrible Minds. The assignment: write a story in 1000 words or less in which someone is making a sandwich. How […]
[…] flash fiction response to a challenge issued by Chuck Wendig at […]
“Champion”
http://amytupper.net/2012/02/24/champion/
My first attempt at one of these challenges, partially inspired by the digital release of the new Marvel Superheroic Roleplaying game this week. 🙂
http://lostzeppo.blogspot.com/2012/02/flash-fiction-challenge-fatherly.html
Here’s mine – Making a Sandwich. Sort of a romance, sort of sad. A fun challenge, I had the plot roughed out early on, but had to let it turn around in my head a few times before it was comfortable enough to settle down.
http://www.ravensview.ca/ravens/2012/02/making-a-sandwich.html
Stumbled across your site when Neil Gaiman linked to your “Aspiring writers” post. First flash fiction challenge. All feedback encouraged.
http://razorwiretightrope.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/making-a-sandwich/
Call me crazy, but I’m all about taking inspiration wherever I can and running with it, so my “sandwich flash” is turning into a bona-fide short fiction piece. 1k be damned, I don’t mind failing this challenge since it, surprisingly, planted the seed for a longer story. Thanks Chuck for the unexpected muse.
[…] Flash Fiction challenge over at http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/02/17/flash-fiction-challenge-making-a-sandwich/ […]
I found out about this challenge after noon on the 24th, so mine isn’t an official entry. I enjoyed what sprang forth, and thought I would comment here, and give you the credit, because this was a lot of fun! And fun was very welcome this week- my husband was in a serious motorcycle accident on Sunday night, and has been in the hospital since. Thank you for the amusement and inspiration!
[…] short story done for Chuck Wendig’s Flashfic Challenge over at terribleminds.com. The challenge was to write a story – not a scene, but an entire story – based around […]
I’m a little late, so this isn’t an official entree. More a post-prandial snack
Sandwich
[…] posted a piece of flash fiction based on the Making a Sandwich prompt at Terrible Minds. ”Life in the Sandwiches” drew heavily on my own family life, […]
[…] The challenge was to write the most dramatic sandwich-making scene possible. I struggled with this one and finished way after the deadline, but wanted to finish the story anyways. […]
I know I’m two weeks late on this one, but February was too jampacked with stuff and work and excuses to get around to it.
But I’ve come back to it and written a story and while it’s a bit short on conflict it has a fair amount of drama. I think.
Anyway, if anyone’s still checking the thread, I hope you like ‘Boy’:
http://patrickoduffy.com/2012/03/04/flash-fiction-boy/
[…] the internet, you can find little writing contests and challenges. Friday Fiction challenges,flash fiction based on an image, extreme daily challenges, extreme monthly challenges … these […]
[…] Flash Fiction Challenge to thank for this story. A few weeks ago he asked readers to come up with a story that was just about making a sandwich but that was nonetheless filled with drama and conflict. As usual, I didn’t have time to get […]
[…] my brain or others’, they will be CONQUERED. This week, I have my eye on Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge. Anyone wanna try this one out with me? Deadline is this Thursday, Feb. 24 at noon EST. […]
[…] story into something greater in scope, so stay tuned. Also, the idea came from Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: Making a Sandwich. and was influenced by my recent reading of The Art of Whoring by George P. Saunders. I wrote it in […]